It is all for the best,
she adamantly asserts, not daring to shift her gaze from the the intricately intertwined threads of blue.
Each strand of the carpet clings to the other with such determination that the woven sea before her seems to mock her feeling of solitude.
He surely understands that this was not an easy decision.
He surely understands that after all that she has been through, she just wants something permanent.
He surely understands,
It is all for the best.
I just want what's best,
for her. This is what she wanted, it was her choice, it is her way of moving forward.
What more can I do?
She must know what this means.
She must know that once she utters those words, there is no going back.
She must know,
I just want what's best.
"So that's it then?"
She never thought that being asked the question would carry such immense weight,
though the load paled in comparison to the brunt of deceit she felt she had carried the past months.
The silence coerced her to lift her eyes to meet those studying her, the accompanying tilt of the head providing the nudge required to extract a response.
"Yes".
"And have you thought about what this means for your work here?"
"That is precisely why I am bringing this up with you. You must know that this wasn't an easy decision. You are my family,
I couldn't bear the thought of this going any further without speaking to you".
"So that's it then."
He knew what was best,
or so he had always thought. This news was hardly a surprise, despite her hesitation indicating that she thought perhaps it would be.
He would no longer let his own mistakes and regrets dictate the path of those he cared for.
With a gentle kiss upon her cheek, he left the room, almost colliding with a familiar figure casually hovering in the corridor.
He was met with an expression expectant of ramification, but he simply smiled and stopped momentarily.
"Don't stuff this up Dinozzo. This, what you two have, doesn't come around very often."
"Does that mean you're okay with it Boss? Because it was her idea to tell you, I just..."
"Don't over think it" he offered over his shoulder as he walked away, knowing full well from his own experiences that in this instance,
he knew what was best.